INTRODUCTION / National Register

[Michael Glaab <michaelglaab@worldnet.att.net>]

Hello:

As an introduction, I will explain that I have more than 15 years of accumulated experience with environmental remediation and / or preservation. Currently I serve as a Co-chair (Community Chmn.)of a Resource Advisory Board for a federal research facility in New Jersey. Previously I had served as a VC of my community's Environmental Commission. In addition, I have served as a councilman and I have accordingly had extensive experience with municipal, county, state and federal offices and elected officials. Having matriculated with an engineering degree I have knowledge of Nuclear Physics and Information Systems. I have faith in the capacity of humanity to develop technology which can both enhance and improve our lives - in an environmentally responsible manner. However, to assure that irresponsible shortcuts are not taken because of ignorance and/or greed appropriate guidelines usually have to be imposed and enforced. Although the promotion of public participation should be beneficial to environmental remediation efforts it is not a substitute for the establishment and enforcement of realistic and responsible contaminant exposure limits.

This national dialogue is for me an encouraging step forward - an effort to seek practical feedback. I hope to acquire additional knowledge and insights from those of you participating in this worthy effort. Accordingly, I thank you all in advance and I can only hope to be of some small benefit to one or more of you. 

One interesting concept which has repeatedly been mentioned in the ongoing dialogue is the establishment of a national facility's register. This is a practical concept which could be achieved, theoretically, in a reasonable amount of time. Presumably, the EPA and/or Congress already possess primitive and less informative national databases which must include many of the details which the proposed national facility's register would provide. Otherwise how could the NPL and Superfund list have been developed. In addition, I have seen a moderately detailed and voluminous manual provided by the Dept. of Energy which describes many and perhaps all of the sites throughout our republic for which that department is responsible. Our existing databases could be combined and augmented to create the proposed register. Of course, this would require an inter-agency effort which would also require significant cooperation between federal and state departments / agencies. Obviously, such an undertaking is easier to contemplate than to implement. But - it can be done. 

In fact, the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperation Work Group, www.itrcweb.org, appears to be a roughly comparable organization. It is currently attempting to develop national databases of guidance documents and effective environmental remediation technologies. In addition, they host in NJ and probably elsewhere training seminars both in classrooms and on the internet. They appear to attempt to further research into innovative remediation technologies. Since I am not affiliated with this organization, I must refer any interested parties to the ITRC web site for further information.

I look forward to this dialogue and to benefiting from your insights.

Michael